Fresh delay fears as contractor told to stop work on 11 operating theatres at new National Children’s Hospital

It is understood the latest potential obstacle could cost the project tens of millions to rectify.

The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB)’s agent wrote to the contractor BAM, at the end of last month regarding 11 of the 22 operating theatres in the facility, the Irish Times and RTÉ are reporting.

The letter states that BAM was being “directed to stop works to the ceilings and any services installed in or above” the operating theatres, due to a matter connected to air circulation systems.

A spokesperson for the NPHDB confirmed that BAM and the facility’s design will “review the impact should revised design and additional works be required in 11 operating theatres” – but said it is yet to be determined if a revised design and additional works are needed. “No change order has been issued to amend the works,” they said.

According to Sinn Féin’s health spokesman, David Cullinane, a source close to the project told him the development could “add 12 months and over €50 million to the project”.

“We need to hear from the development board about how this problem came to be. When did they learn about it first? How much will this delay the contract? And, how much will it cost,” he said.

The letter to BAM in May outlined that an upcoming “change order” would instruct revisions which will “require modifications to installed ceilings and mechanical and electrical services”.

A second letter sent in June instructed BAM to organise workshops which would “establish the full extent of the remedial works” before an order was issued.

The NPHDB spokesperson said the review was “no different” to steps taken “to investigate more significant changes in design” that were proposed by BAM during the project construction.

They said change orders of this type reflect the “ongoing evolution of design on-site” and the was no material change to the design of the new hospital.

“This is something that is usually done in a collaborative manner, is standard with any project of the scale of the NCH and which is consistent with the terms of the contract on this project,” they added.

Meanwhile, a statement from BAM said the contractor has received the instruction from the employer’s representative and “we are now engaged in joint workshops to develop the revised scope”.

The NPHDB spokesperson said the board had repeatedly requested a programme from BAM to determine a timeline for completion of the project but said that the contractor “has failed to provide a contract compliant programme”.

“The most recent programme received from BAM, but not accepted as being compliant, stated that substantial completion would be March 2024. BAM is behind this programme,” they said.

The final bill for the children’s hospital, currently put at €1.4bn, remains unclear.